DYAM Tunku Ismail, the Crown Prince of Johor and owner of Johor Darul Ta’zim, is reportedly close to finalising an investment in historic Bosnian club FK Sarajevo, according to reports from regional media.
Bosnian outlet SportSport revealed that Tunku Ismail is in the final stages of completing his entry into the club’s ownership structure.
“Tunku Ismail has long dreamed of taking a major step into European football, and he is now in the process of finalising his involvement in the ownership structure of FK Sarajevo,” reported SportSport.
🚨Huge news coming from SportSport who has revealed the name of the potential third investor.
Prince Tunku Ismail, son of the Sultan of Johor (State in Malaysia). He is currently the owner of FC Johor Darul Ta’zim, the most successful club in Malaysia, and was on the brink of… pic.twitter.com/NnInSqCZ7o
Meanwhile, Croatian portal Index.hr added that discussions between Tunku Ismail and FK Sarajevo’s management, including one of the current owners Ismir Mirvić, have been ongoing for nearly six months. Several of these talks are said to have taken place in Kuala Lumpur, focusing on key details of the potential deal.
At present, it remains unclear whether Tunku Ismail will acquire a stake directly from the existing shareholders – including Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan, who is part of the current ownership – or if he will enter as a third-party investor alongside them.
This isn’t the first time Tunku Ismail has been linked with a European club. In 2021, he openly expressed interest in investing in La Liga side Valencia CF, sparking international headlines. However, negotiations did not materialise into a deal.
Should the FK Sarajevo move be completed, it would mark a historic step for Tunku Ismail in expanding his influence into European football, fulfilling a long-stated ambition to take Malaysian football leadership onto the global stage.
Since taking over Johor Darul Ta’zim in 2013, Tunku Ismail has transformed the Southern Tigers into a dominant force, securing 29 major trophies, including an unprecedented 11 consecutive Malaysia Super League titles.
JDT’s success has also extended beyond domestic football. The club made history by lifting the 2015 AFC Cup, becoming the first Southeast Asian side to win the continental title, and has since established itself as a regular contender in the AFC Champions League Elite.
